‘File 7/2 III Landing grounds and seaplane anchorages’ [‎163r] (344/522)

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Content

The volume is a continuation of correspondence from ‘File 7/2 II Landing grounds and seaplane anchorages’ (IOR/R/15/2/264), its contents relating to ongoing negotiations between Arab rulers and the British Government, Royal Air Force, and Imperial Airways, on the installation and maintenance of air facilities along the Arab coast, between Qatar and Ra’s al-Khaymah. The principal correspondents in the file are Lieutenant-Colonel Trenchard Craven Fowle, Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Lieutenant-Colonel Percy Gordon Loch, Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Bahrain, and Captain A Cole, Officiating Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Bahrain.

The main issues raised in the volume are:

1. Disagreements between British officials and Shaikh Shakbut bin Sultan of Abu Dhabi, over the installation of a petrol store at Abu Dhabi, not officially mentioned in the agreement signed between the two parties on 13 February 1935, and only verbally agreed upon. In a letter addressed to the Shaikh, dated 5 June 1935, Fowle threatened action against Abu Dhabi’s pearling fleet, should he continue to raise objections to the expansion of air facilities in his domains (folios 64-66). Fowle’s letter led to an angry exchange between Shaikh Shakbut and British officials aboard HMS Fowey (reported in a letter from Cole to Fowle, folios 93-97), which in turn led to protracted mediations prior to Shaikh Shakbut issuing a formal apology over his outburst (folios 122-23).

2. Proposals for a seaplane anchorage at Umm al-Qaywayn (folios 138-40a), including a visit to the Arab coast by Mr B Cross, Manager of the Near East Area for Imperial Airways Limited, in order to ascertain the best site for such a facility (folios 185-87).

The volume also contains a number of revised schedules of air facilities required along the Arab coast of the Gulf, listing facilities by both location and by RAF or civil aviation function (folios 68-72, 173-75a, 196-200).

Extent and format

1 volume (251 folios)

Arrangement

The volume’s correspondence is arranged in approximate chronological order, from the earliest items at the front of the volume to the latest at the end. Some items in the volume are marked with red or blue crayon numbers (for incoming or outgoing items respectively), and are prefixed by the letters S.No [Serial number]. This numbering system constitutes part of the original filing arrangement, and is referred to in the office notes at the end of the file (folios 230-44).

Physical characteristics

Foliation: The volume is foliated from the front cover to the inside back cover, using circled pencil numbers in the top-right corner of each recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. . An earlier foliation system, which uses uncircled pencil numbers in the top-right corner of rectos, runs through the volume. The following anomalies occur in the main foliation system: 1a-1e, 79a, 140a, 167a, 195a, 241a. The following folios are fold-outs: 7, 11, 13, 20, 64, 76.

Written in

English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script

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